


A Stroke of Luck

by KittyBandit



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Flirting, Humor, Kissing, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 18:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19179100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyBandit/pseuds/KittyBandit
Summary: Some people had all the luck. But Tyki? Not so much.





	A Stroke of Luck

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my submission for Poker Pair Week 2019! The prompt I chose was Flower Shop AU.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it!

Tyki didn’t give a shit about flowers.

Okay—he liked flowers. Honestly, who didn’t? They were pretty, he supposed. They certainly smelled nice. But aside from that, there wasn’t much else going for them. He could spend his whole life without seeing another flower, and doubted it would matter much to him.

People thought that because he worked behind the counter at _The Flower Bed_ , he was passionate about flowers—that he was knowledgeable when it came to arrangements and plant care. But he was as clueless as any other sod who walked off the street. The only reason he was stuck at the flower shop was because his brother forced his hand.

Sheril owned the shop, one of many businesses his entrepreneurial sibling had invested in. Offices, nightclubs, boutiques, groceries—he didn’t care. As long as it could make him money, Sheril would invest in it. He had money to spare, which was the exact opposite of Tyki’s rather unimpressive financial situation. And Tyki—well, he’d leaned a bit too hard on his brother’s hefty pocketbook over the past few months, and it landed him behind the front register at _The Flower Bed_.

The previous workers had done a communal lottery pool, playing their luck to try and win it big. And after eight years, they struck the big one. _Five million dollars_. Even split five ways, it was an impressive sum. Most of the employees were elder women who simply enjoyed arranging flowers, and after winning it big, ended up retiring and leaving Sheril in the lurch for workers.

Tyki just had the misfortune of asking for money at the wrong time.

While Sheril’s workers enjoyed an amazing stroke of luck, his luck had dried up faster than a peach in the desert. He’d lost four thousand dollars gambling in the last week—more than he’d lost in years—and when he asked Sheril for more, his brother refused to give up the cash without a few strings attached. Until Sheril could find new employees to mind the store, Tyki would have to run it. Now, instead of spending his days with his friends at the dive bar downtown or hustling rich brats at the bars around the local university campus, he was stuck at a goddamned flower shop.

He’d been marooned for three days and cabin fever began to burn in his brain like an infection. He’d sold flowers, of course, but most of his day was spent dozing behind the counter or chucking dead plants in the back dumpster. It was boring, mind numbing, and he wanted out.

When the bell above the door chimed pleasantly at the sound of a new customer, Tyki sighed, already exasperated. Maybe the old ladies liked to chitchat with everyone who visited the store, but he just wanted to be left alone to take a nap or finish the next level of candy crush on his phone without interruptions. But when he looked up at the person who entered, he lost his breath.

The kid couldn’t have been older than twenty for how short and scrawny he was, but he had a presence about him—shockingly white hair and skin and pale blue eyes made him appear more like a ghost than a person. But it was his adornments that stood out most. He had piercings in each ear, lining the shell, as well as a pair of eyebrow piercings in his left brow. What skin he showed on his arms had a mottling of tattoos up and down. His entire left arm had an intricate tattoo sleeve with dark designs adorning his pale flesh. From what Tyki could see, the art was _stunning_.

He was so transfixed with the strange kid that he hadn’t realized he was speaking until Tyki had already missed the bulk of his question. “Sorry, what was that?”

The kid tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, revealing more piercings than before. “I asked if Gladys is here? She usually helps me when I come in.”

Tyki leaned against the counter, elbows heavy on the thick glass. He smiled wide and drummed his fingers against the countertop. “And who’s asking for her?”

“Allen,” he said, looking up at him. Even leaning down, Tyki was still taller than him.

“Well, Allen,” Tyki began, still feigning boredom. “Unfortunately, Gladys is in a better place now. So, you’re stuck with me.”

Allen visibly stiffened. “She passed away?”

“She’s in Boca Raton with a million dollars in lottery winnings. Trust me when I say she’s doing better than either of us.” Tyki tilted his head, still smiling at him. “So, what can _I_ help you with?”

Allen still looked uneasy, but nodded thoughtfully before answering. “I need three stargazer lilies.”

Tyki blinked, trying to not look as clueless as he felt. “Stargazer lilies. Right.”

There was a moment of silence between them, Tyki staring at Allen and Allen staring right back. Neither of them moved or said a word. As the standoff dragged on, Allen spoke up first. “Well, do you have them?”

“Maybe.” Tyki held his ground, not moving from behind the counter.

Allen paused, arching his pierced eyebrow. “Could you go check? I need them today.”

Knowing he couldn’t keep up the charade much longer, Tyki broke. “Look, kid. I’m going to level with you.”

“I’m not a kid,” Allen interjected, but was promptly ignored as Tyki continued.

“I don’t know shit about flowers. I’m only here because all the employees won the lottery and my brother blackmailed me into minding this store until he found some people who actually know what they’re doing.”

Allen snorted, but tried to keep a straight face. “Wow.”

“So if you need a lilygazer or whatever, you’re going to have to find it yourself because I don’t know what the fuck that is.”

Lifting a hand to his lips to hide his growing smile, Allen shook his head and sighed. “You’re the absolute worst florist I’ve ever met.”

The smile, though hidden, was contagious. Tyki knew the situation was ridiculous, but it was nice to have someone else to joke about it with. “You’re not wrong.” He straightened his back and walked towards the backroom. “C’mon. Let’s see if we have that star lily you want.”

“Stargazer,” Allen corrected. He shoved his hands in his pockets and followed after Tyki.

“Whatever.”

Tyki wasn’t sure if the backroom had always looked so messy, or if it was simply his inattentive nature that kept it in disarray. Shelves overflowed with supplies—floral wire, vases, foam bricks, clippers, colorful ribbons and paper… Tyki only knew what half of it was for, and the rest he could only make an uneducated guess.

At least he knew where the flowers _were_. He opened the walk-in cooler, a blast of cold air hitting him in the face as he turned on the light and stepped inside. The air was chilled, damp, and left an uncomfortable feeling on his skin as he held the door open for Allen. The walls were lined with buckets, each containing cut flowers of various varieties. He hadn’t touched them, save for chucking a few of the wilted or rotten ones in the dumpster.

“Here it is,” Tyki said, his voice dull and void of enthusiasm. “If we got your gazing flower, here is the place it would be.”

“Stargazer—are you doing that on purpose?” Allen asked, shooting him an unimpressed look.

Tyki shrugged, the hint of an amused smile on his lips. “Who’s to say?”

Shaking his head, Allen looked around in the buckets, checking all the flowers. He moved quickly, flitting from shelf to shelf like a man on a mission, when he finally stopped and made a pleased noise. “Here we go.” He plucked three flowers from a bucket, smiling at them.

Even Tyki could tell they were lilies, but that was all he could manage. The blossoms were white, with deep maroon centers and flecked with darker spots. It was one of the largest flowers in the cooler, and if he were honest, rather striking.

“Is that all you need? Just three?” He waited by the door as Allen left the cooler and sighed in relief as he closed the door. They walked back to the storefront, and Tyki took his place behind the counter.

“Yup. That’s all.” Allen set the flowers on the counter, looking all too pleased with his purchase.

“I’m not nosy or anything,” Tyki added as he slowly pecked the cash register buttons with one finger. “It’s just that people usually buy a bouquet of flowers. Not just… Y’know. Three flowers.”

“I don’t need a whole bouquet. Just these three.”

“Why?”

“I thought you said you _weren’t_ nosy?” Allen asked back, smirking up at him as he leaned against the counter.

“I lied,” Tyki said, bluntly. “This is too weird to not ask about.”

“Weirder than your entire staff winning the lottery?”

“They weren’t _my_ staff. I’m just the sap who got stuck with their jobs for the foreseeable future.” Tyki shrugged as he finished calculating the order. “Besides, I’m bored out of my mind and you’re the most interesting person I’ve seen all week. Also—$10.50, please.”

Allen dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a $10 and $1. He set the bills on the counter and picked up the flowers. “I’m using them for reference.”

“Reference?”

“For a tattoo. I work at _Inked_ —the tattoo parlor next door.” Allen looked down at the lilies, the petals brushing against his chin as he pulled them close. “I have a client next week who wants these lilies done on her shoulder.”

“You get a lot of calls for flower tattoo designs?” Tyki asked, ringing out the purchase and getting his change from the near empty register.

“Many. I’m in here often.”

“Explains why you knew Gladys by name.” He handed Allen fifty cents back, his fingertips brushing against the cool skin on his palm.

“And now I’m back to working with a nameless florist.” Allen shoved his change in his pocket, giving Tyki an amused glance before heading towards the exit.

“The name’s Tyki,” he called after him. He grinned and unabashedly watched the young man weave around floral baskets, bouquets, and kitsch gifts. “Thanks for choosing _The Flower Bed_ for all your flower needs. Come again soon.”

Allen didn’t turn around as he opened the door and walked out. “Better work on your customer service voice, Tyki.”

The door closed before he could get in a reply. Leaning back against the wall, he stared out the shop window, watching as he disappeared out of sight.

He liked the way Allen said his name.

xXxXxXx

Sheril was a fucking liar.

He had promised Tyki— _promised him—_ that he wouldn’t have to work at the flower shop for longer than a week. A week and a half, tops. But as he was already well into week two and staring headlong into week three, he started to think Sheril was screwing with him on purpose. Weren’t people desperate for jobs in this economy? It couldn’t have been _that_ hard to find a couple of hippies who wanted to work with flowers.

On the bright side, spending more time at the flower shop meant seeing more of Allen. The tattoo artist hadn’t been kidding when he said people wanted flower designs often. He came in every other day with odd flower requests, and each time, Tyki had to pull him to the backroom to identify the flowers he was looking for. It wasn’t an efficient process, but Tyki didn’t care. The longer they traipsed around the backroom, the longer Allen lingered in the shop.

Allen had asked for all types of flowers in the time Tyki had been working. Daffodils. Orchids. Forget-Me-Nots. Tulips. Roses. Nothing was off the table, and Allen’s clients seemed greedy to ink themselves with any type of flower they could think of. Each time he entered the shop, their interactions grew friendlier. Tyki had a hard time not falling over himself with each meeting. He drew out their conversations, hoping to learn more about the mysterious tattoo artist. Allen was remarkably close-lipped, but he always had a smile for Tyki—even if it was ill-intentioned.

“You can’t tell me you don’t know what a daisy is. I feel like you’re Honest-to-God trolling me.” Allen shook his head as he looked at the handful of gerbera daisies in his hand, trading them for a few bucks in cash.

“I thought they only came in white!”

“You’re thinking of wild daisies.”

“Flowers are too complicated. This is nonsense.” Tyki grumbled to himself as he doled out Allen’s change. “Besides, who wants daisies on their ankle.”

“You’d be surprised,” Allen added, giving the daisies a quick once over.

“Wait—let me guess. College student?”

“Wrong.”

“Middle-aged housewife who’s finally ‘finding herself’?”

“Nope.”

“A botanist with a freaky side?”

“Not even close.”

Tyki sighed, his breath mussing his already messy dark curls. “Okay, I give up.”

“It’s for two ladies who are getting married next month. They wanted matching tattoos.”

“Alright,” Tyki yielded, raising his hands in the air in defeat. “You got me.”

“Told you,” Allen teased, wrapping the flowers up in cellophane. It was raining outside, and he needed something to protect the delicate petals from the unpleasant weather. As he fumbled with the plastic, the sleeves of his oversized sweatshirt slid up his arms, revealing more of the art tattooed along his skin. Tyki never saw much of it, aside from a few hints of ink on his arms and along his collarbone. Allen kept himself well covered—an oddity, considering he used his body as a canvas.

“How many tattoos do you have?” Tyki asked, his question seemingly out of the blue in the quiet space between them.

Allen didn’t look up as he continued to futz with the cellophane. “More than you, I’d wager,” he said, a hint of a smile on his pale pink lips.

Tyki rested his elbow against the glass countertop, leaning over it and propping his chin on his upturned hand. “You sure don’t like giving straight answers, do you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Hmm… Well, you’re right either way. I don’t have any tattoos. Maybe I should get one. I know a guy who does them.”

Sensing that a conversation was brewing, Allen gently set his purchase on the counter and looked back at Tyki. “Let me guess—you want a bouquet of roses and baby’s breath tattooed on your left ass cheek?”

Tyki snorted, now unable to get the image out of his head. “No, anything _but_ flowers. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen enough floral arrangements to last me a lifetime.”

“If only I could escape so easily.” Allen sighed and picked up his flowers again, eyeing the obnoxiously cheerful colors. “If you asked me to do a tattoo that was anything but a flower, I’d probably be so happy I’d do it for free.”

“Free?” Tyki perked up at the offer, tilting his head to the side. “That can’t be good for business.”

Allen shrugged, turning the flowers over in his hands. “Trust me—I’d do anything to get a break from the flowers.”

“A gentleman such as myself would never let an artist work for free.” He smirked as a thought came to him. “I could at least buy you dinner.”

“Well,” Allen began, turning the offer over in his mind. “I never say no to a free meal.”

“Maybe a movie, too?”

Chuckling, Allen glanced over at Tyki, amusement in his silver eyes. “That sounds suspiciously like a date.”

“Does it?” Tyki’s feigned ignorance was easy to see through, and Allen only shook his head before turning away and heading towards the exit.

“I’ll think about it,” Allen called over his shoulder as he left the shop.

Drumming his fingers against the glass countertop, Tyki hummed as he watched Allen disappear past the storefront window. It might not have been a yes, but it was definitely not a no.

xXxXxXx

Allen, it turned out, was a flirt.

He wasn’t as incorrigible as Tyki when it came to flirting, no. He had a much more subtle style—something that made you wonder if he was truly flirting with you or not, but left your stomach full of butterflies all the same. Tyki wasn’t certain if Allen was interested in him, but had come too far to doubt himself now. Besides, his window of opportunity was quickly closing.

Sheril had _finally_ hired new employees to take over the store, nearly a month after the lottery debacle. If it had been two weeks ago, Tyki would’ve been ecstatic that his time at this floral nightmare was finally coming to a close. But now… Well, he’d be a goddamn liar if he said he wasn’t going to miss seeing Allen nearly every day—especially since he was growing closer to getting that ever elusive date with the heavily tattooed cutie.

He and Allen had been dancing around each other like moths around a flame. But the candlelight was dimming, and soon they’d part ways—nothing left to keep them connected. Tyki didn’t want it to end. Not yet.

So, when the bell above the front door chimed and Allen entered the shop, Tyki knew he had to make his move.

Giving the young man a charming smile, he leaned against the front counter as he always did. “And what’s the flower of choice for today?”

“Delphiniums,” Allen said as he met Tyki at the counter. He stood across from him, hands on the glass surface and leaning slightly forward as he looked up at him.

“I swear, you’re making these names up,” Tyki teased as he walked around the counter and towards the backroom. Allen followed after, used to their song and dance by then.

“I wish I was. Delphiniums aren’t that easy to draw.” Allen sighed, and brushed back a lock of his white hair behind his ear. “But they are pretty, I suppose.”

Tyki opened the cooler and let Allen inside before following after. “Well, it’s a fitting flower for my last shift.”

Allen paused, turning back to Tyki. “Last shift?”

Nodding, Tyki flipped the light switch in cooler. The buckets of flowers were mostly empty by then, but a fresh shipment was due to arrive tomorrow—something the newly hired saps would have to take care of. “Sheril finally found people to replace the employees that left. My internment at _The Flower Bed_ officially ends tonight.”

“Oh.” Allen spoke the single syllable as if it held more weight on his tongue than a block of lead. He moved towards the shelving unit closest to him, checking the buckets distractedly. “You didn’t mention it when I was here last.”

“I only found out last night.” Tyki watched as Allen meandered around the cooler, unfocused. It was curious how he ambled, so unlike his usual quick and succinct flower perusal.

“I see,” Allen mumbled, more to himself than in response to Tyki. He kept his gaze averted as well, and it made Tyki feel queasy.

Clearing his throat, he walked up behind Allen and looked into some of the buckets with flowers left. “So, what do these flowers look like? I’ll help yo— _whoa!_ ”

Tyki felt the metal shelving dig into his back as Allen pushed him against it, body flush with his own. His golden eyes went wide with surprise as Allen grabbed the front of his button-up shirt and dragged him down for a firm, rough kiss. The press of Allen’s lips on his own stole the breath from Tyki’s lungs, his eyelids fluttering shut as he let him do as he pleased. Tyki heard his heartbeat in his ears, thudding like a drum and leaving him lightheaded.

He hadn’t expected Allen to make the first move, but he could roll with it.

A soft moan escaped his throat. He pulled his hands up to cup the sides of Allen’s face. The cold air of the cooler nipped at his skin, but for once, it didn’t bother him—not with the flush of excitement heating up his body.

Allen’s hands roamed to more intimate places, sliding along Tyki’s torso and settling against his hips. He pulled Tyki closer, their bodies pressed up against each other like sardines in a can—not an inch of space between them and nothing left to the imagination. He felt the press of Allen’s hips to his, the hard outline of his budding arousal, and Tyki knew there was no hiding his own growing excitement.

Tyki slipped his tongue into Allen’s mouth, and felt him respond in kind. He fought to breathe between their heated kisses, hands grasping at each other with a needy hunger. Over the weeks, Tyki had felt his desire for Allen grow—apparently the feeling had been mutual.

After a few moments—or perhaps an hour; Tyki had lost the ability to tell time—Allen pulled away. His face was flushed bright red, so much so that Tyki could still see it in the dim light of the cooler. He’d never seen Allen embarrassed. It was a good look on him.

“Sorry,” Allen mumbled pulling a hand to his lips, as if the action would hide what they’d just done. His other hand still lingered on Tyki’s hip. “I might’ve been a bit impulsive just now.”

“Oh, I’m not complaining.” Tyki grinned wide, leaning back in to close the gap between them once more. “Just surprised.”

Allen laughed, amusement tinted with a hint of embarrassment, and Tyki thought it might be his new favorite sound. “I’m a bit surprised, myself.”

“Hmm,” Tyki hummed to himself. His hands slipped down along Allen’s neck, fingers teasing inked flesh as he rested them against his shoulders. “I wonder if you’re psychic.”

“What?” Allen asked, eyebrows pinched in confusion. “Why?”

“Because I planned on asking you out today before my last shift ended.”

“Oh, really?” Allen tilted his head to the side, a confident smirk gracing his delicate features. “And what if I hadn’t stopped by?”

Tyki snickered. “You say that like I had a plan to begin with.”

Allen snorted, tucking his head down against Tyki’s chest to hide his smile. “You’re right. That was foolish of me.” He shook his head, regaining his composure before meeting Tyki’s eyes again. “So, are you going to ask me? Or are we going to stand in the cooler until we freeze to death?”

“I’m nowhere near freezing at the moment, considering how well you kiss.”

Allen chewed on the inside of his lip, fighting the urge to grin. “I noticed you were a little hot under the collar.”

“More like hot under the belt.”

“That, too.”

Tyki felt his face burn against the forced, cold air of the cooler, as he worked around the words sitting on his tongue. “So, do you want to go out with me tonight?”

“Yes,” Allen replied, no hesitation in his voice. “Maybe we can finish what we started?”

The thought had Tyki’s heart racing and his pants tightening under the rush of excitement for things to come. “Sounds perfect.”


End file.
